#jon bruning

Americans United for Life, the extreme anti-choice bill mill, seems to have been particularly worried by the Women’s Health Protection Act, which was debated in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this summer.

Intended to block many of the anti-choice laws that have been passed in recent years, the bill has virtually no hope of passing the Republican-controlled House, and is seen by many pro-choice advocates as largely symbolic.

Yet, in an email sent to Nebraska’s attorney general, Jon Bruning, AUL Nebraska’s state director, Suzanne Gage, struck an alarmist tone.

The bill “would eliminate virtually all pro-life laws in the country if enacted,” Gage wrote in July 9 email to Katie Spohn and David Cookson, two of Bruning’s senior staff.

“Senator Grassley is the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he has requested support from Attorney Generals [sic] in drafting letters opposing this legislation,” Gage continued. “I realize this is last minute, but would Mr. Bruning be willing to draft such a letter addressed to Sen. Grassley expressing his concern about how this bill would affect Nebraska? We could get it into his hands if sent to us by COB Monday.”

Bruning never did write such a letter, according to a spokesperson. And Grassley’s office did not immediately respond to our requests for confirmation of his role in this effort.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ1Oz6K4rOI&w=388&h=249]

Totally Freaking Awesome!!

Mitchell Brunings – Redemption Song The Voice Of Holland 2013 Blind Auditions

In Nebraska’s Tuesday night Republican primary, Deb Fischer pulled out an unexpected win over Attorney General and establishment front runner Jon Bruning.

Until a few weeks ago, the Nebraska primaries had been pretty lackluster. Everyone expected Bruning to win, seeing as he held a double-digit lead in the polls for more than two months. But in this primary season, outside influence has all but eliminated the poll-granted security that used to provide so much comfort. Just a week ago, Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock ended Dick Lugar’s 36-year career.

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—Michael Wagner, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in response to the more than $2 million that conservative outside groups poured into yesterday's GOP Senate primary in Nebraska — $1 million of which went to negative ads against favored candidate Jon Bruning, Nebraska's attorney general. 

Insurgent candidate and state Sen. Deb Fischer captured the GOP nomination for Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson's soon-to-be vacant seat last night. Fischer was the beneficiary of a last minute $250,000 ad boost by conservative super PAC Ending Spending Action Fund. As Mother Jones' Timothy Murphy reports, the group is backed by Joe Ricketts, billionaire owner of the Chicago Cubs.

Via the Washington Post:

Nebraska cities can’t adopt ordinances protecting people from discrimination for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender because the state’s anti-discrimination laws don’t extend to sexual orientation, the state attorney general’s office said in a legal opinion issued Friday.

Voters can approve changes to city charters to extend protections to groups not covered by state law, but local governments lack the authority, the opinion said.

The opinion, which critics predicted would get shot down in court, was issued in response to a request by conservative state Sen. Beau McCoy, of Omaha, who introduced legislation this year that would have barred counties and cities from adopting anti-discrimination ordinances that go beyond statewide rules. The bill didn’t advance out of committee.

Nebraska Republican Senate Candidate Compares Welfare Recipients To Scavenging Raccoons |

In a speech this week, Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning (R) compared welfare recipients to scavenging animals, suggesting the state is making it too “easy” for them. “The raccoons — they’re not stupid, they’re gonna do the easy way if we make it easy for them. Just like welfare recipients all across America,” said Bruning, who is running for Sen. Ben Nelson’s (D-NE) seat. “If we don’t send them to work, they’re gonna take the easy route.”